Improved table-leaf support



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IMPROVED TABLE-LEAF SUPPORT.

Speciiication forming part ot Letters Patent No. 55,846, dated J une 26, 1866,

To all whom it may concern Y Be it known that I, GEORGE FYFE, of the city of Ottawa, in the county ot' La Salle and State of Illinois, have invented a newand use fullmprovement in Tables; and I do hereby declare and make known that the following is a full, clear7 and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying' drawings, and the letters and figures marked thereon, which i'orm part oi' this speciiication.

My said invention relates to the device for holding the leaves of a table up in a horizontal position when in use; and it consists in a novel arrangement whereby the supporting device adjusts itself automatically upon raising the leaf', and which holds the leaf securely when turned down, thereby preventing the swinging and rattling thereof when the table is carried about or moved from one part of the room to another.

lo enable those skilled in the art to linderstand how to coustructand use my said invention, I will proceed to describe the same with particularity, making reference in so doing to the aforesaid drawings, in which- Figure l is a view of the underside of a. table with my invention applied and the leaves spread; and Fig. 2 is a side view of' my invention, the table being in section.

Similar letters ot' reference in the different figures denote the same parts ot' myinvention.

A represents the c entral or stationary part ot' the table, to which the leaves B B are at tached by hinges a in the usual manner.

O represents the frame upon which the said part A rests, being supported upon the legs D7 as shown.

F represents the arms which support the table L leaves, one end being hinged to the leaves at about the middle thereof, as shown at b, and the other end being provided with a shoulder which enters suitable slots or recesses in the frame .0, as shown. Upon the said arms F are attached the plates c c, which project back of the ends of said arms, which are hinged to the said leaves at b.

G represents a spring, one end of which is secured to the table-leaves and the other end rests upon the projecting end of the plate c upon the arm F, as shown.

By this arrangement the arm F becomes a lever having its fulcrum at Z), while the elastic force of the spring operates to press the lower end or shoulder ot' the said arm F into the recess before mentioned in the frame O.

VWhen the leaf is turned down, as shown upon one side in Fig. 2, the pressure of the spring G holds the arm F iirnily against thei'rame C, and thereby prevents the leaf from swinging and striking upon the legs D when being moved about, as aforesaid. 4

As the leat' is raised up the said arm is pressed against the frame, and is gradually slid around beneath it until, when raised to the proper position, as shown upon the opposite side in Fig'. 1, the shoulder upon the end ot' said arm snaps into its vaforesaid appropriate recess in the frame, and is there securely held in place, sustaining the leaf as desired.

When the leaf is to be turned down the spring G is pressed up beneath the leat'suiicient to allow the end of the arm to drop out from the aforesaid recess or catch, when it moves down lo the position desired.

E represents a cross-brace between the sides oi' the i'rame C, as shown, to strengthen the same and counteractthe pressure of the aforesaid springs and the weight otl the leaves when SGI.

Having described the construction and operation ot' my invention, l will now speciiy what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

ln combination with the leat ot' a table, the hinged arm F and said arm F, as and for the purposes specified.

' GEORGE FYFE. Witnesses:

J oHN MAGER, JOSEPH A. STEGER. A

the frame C, the peculia'i arrangement ot' the spring' G, operating upon X 

